12. Yusuf

So when he furnished them forth with their provisions, he put the bowl in his brother's bag. Then a crier cried: "O you (in) the caravan! Surely, you are thieves! (70)They, turning towards them, said: "What is it that you have lost? (71)They said: "We have lost the bowl of the king and for him who produces it is (the reward of) a camel load; and I will be bound by it. (72)

Yusuf had His Golden Bowl placed in Binyamin's Bag; a Plot to keep Him in Egypt

After Yusuf supplied them with their provisions, he ordered some of his servants to place his silver bowl (in Binyamin's bag), according to the majority of scholars. Some scholars said that the king's bowl was made from gold. Ibn Zayd added that the king used it to drink from, and later, measured food grains with it since food became scarce in that time, according to Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and 'Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd. Shu'bah said that Abu Bishr narrated that Sa'id bin Jubayr said that Ibn 'Abbas said that the king's bowl was made from silver and he used it to drink with. Yusuf had the bowl placed in Binyamin's bag while they were unaware, and then had someone herald,

أَيَّتُهَا الْعِيرُ إِنَّكُمْ لَسَارِقُونَ

(O you (in) the caravan! Surely, you are thieves!) They looked at the man who was heralding this statement and asked him,

مَّاذَا تَفْقِدُونَ - قَالُوا نَفْقِدُ صُوَاعَ الْمَلِكِ

("What is it that you have lost?" They said: "We have lost the bowl of the king..."), which he used to measure food grains,

وَلِمَن جَاءَ بِهِ حِمْلُ بَعِيرٍ

(and for him who produces it is a camel load), as a reward,

وَأَنَا بِهِ زَعِيمٌ

(and I will be bound by it.), as assurance of delivery of the reward.

So when he furnished them forth with their provisions, he put the bowl in his brother's bag. Then a crier cried: "O you (in) the caravan! Surely, you are thieves! (70)They, turning towards them, said: "What is it that you have lost? (71)They said: "We have lost the bowl of the king and for him who produces it is (the reward of) a camel load; and I will be bound by it. (72)

Yusuf had His Golden Bowl placed in Binyamin's Bag; a Plot to keep Him in Egypt

After Yusuf supplied them with their provisions, he ordered some of his servants to place his silver bowl (in Binyamin's bag), according to the majority of scholars. Some scholars said that the king's bowl was made from gold. Ibn Zayd added that the king used it to drink from, and later, measured food grains with it since food became scarce in that time, according to Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and 'Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd. Shu'bah said that Abu Bishr narrated that Sa'id bin Jubayr said that Ibn 'Abbas said that the king's bowl was made from silver and he used it to drink with. Yusuf had the bowl placed in Binyamin's bag while they were unaware, and then had someone herald,

أَيَّتُهَا الْعِيرُ إِنَّكُمْ لَسَارِقُونَ

(O you (in) the caravan! Surely, you are thieves!) They looked at the man who was heralding this statement and asked him,

مَّاذَا تَفْقِدُونَ - قَالُوا نَفْقِدُ صُوَاعَ الْمَلِكِ

("What is it that you have lost?" They said: "We have lost the bowl of the king..."), which he used to measure food grains,

وَلِمَن جَاءَ بِهِ حِمْلُ بَعِيرٍ

(and for him who produces it is a camel load), as a reward,

وَأَنَا بِهِ زَعِيمٌ

(and I will be bound by it.), as assurance of delivery of the reward.

They said: "By Allah! Indeed you know that we came not to make mischief in the land, and we are no thieves! (73)They said: "What then shall be the penalty of him, if you are (proved to be) liars. (74)They [Yusuf's brothers] said: "His penalty should be that he, in whose bag it is found, should be held for the punishment (of the crime). Thus we punish the wrongdoers! (75)So he Yusuf began (the search) in their bags before the bag of his brother. Then he brought it out of his brother's bag. Thus did We plan for Yusuf. He could not take his brother by the law of the king (as a slave), except that Allah willed it. We raise to degrees whom We will, but over all those endowed with knowledge is the All-Knowing (Allah)(76)

After Yusuf's servants accused his brothers of theft, they said,

تَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُم مَّا جِئْنَا لِنُفْسِدَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا كُنَّا سَارِقِينَ

(By Allah! Indeed you know that we came not to make mischief in the land, and we are no thieves!) 'Ever since you knew us, you, due to our good conduct, became certain that,

مَّا جِئْنَا لِنُفْسِدَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا كُنَّا سَارِقِينَ

(we came not to make mischief in the land, and we are no thieves!) They said, 'Theft is not in our character, as you came to know.' Yusuf's men said,

فَمَا جَزَاؤُهُ

(What then shall be the penalty of him), in reference to the thief, if it came out that he is one of you,'

إِن كُنتُمْ كَاذِبِينَ

(if you are (proved to be) liars?) They asked them, 'What should be the thief's punishment if he is one of you?'

قَالُوا جَزَاؤُهُ مَن وُجِدَ فِي رَحْلِهِ فَهُوَ جَزَاؤُهُ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الظَّالِمِينَ

(They said: "His penalty should be that he, in whose bag it is found, should be held for the punishment. Thus we punish the wrongdoers!") This was the law of Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him, that the thief be given as a slave to the victim of theft. This is what Yusuf wanted, and this is why he started with their bags first before his brother's bag, to perfect the plot,

ثُمَّ اسْتَخْرَجَهَا مِن وِعَاءِ أَخِيهِ

(Then he brought it out of his brother's bag.) Therefore, Yusuf took Binyamin as a slave according to their judgement and the law which they believed in. So Allah said;

كَذَٰلِكَ كِدْنَا لِيُوسُفَ

(Thus did We plan for Yusuf.) and this is a good plot that Allah likes and prefers, because it seeks a certain benefit using wisdom and the benefit of all. Allah said next,

مَا كَانَ لِيَأْخُذَ أَخَاهُ فِي دِينِ الْمَلِكِ

(He could not take his brother by the law of the king,) as a captive, for this was not the law of king of Egypt, according to Ad-Dahhak and several other scholars. Allah only allowed Yusuf to take his brother as a captive after his brothers agreed to this judgement beforehand, and he knew that this was their law. This is why Allah praised him when He said,

نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَاتٍ مَّن نَّشَاءُ

(We raise to degrees whom We will,) just as He said in another Ayah,

يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ

(Allah will exalt in degree those of you who believe.)[58:11] Allah said next,

وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِي عِلْمٍ عَلِيمٌ

(but over all those endowed with knowledge is the All-Knowing.) Al-Hasan commented, "There is no …

They said: "By Allah! Indeed you know that we came not to make mischief in the land, and we are no thieves! (73)They said: "What then shall be the penalty of him, if you are (proved to be) liars. (74)They [Yusuf's brothers] said: "His penalty should be that he, in whose bag it is found, should be held for the punishment (of the crime). Thus we punish the wrongdoers! (75)So he Yusuf began (the search) in their bags before the bag of his brother. Then he brought it out of his brother's bag. Thus did We plan for Yusuf. He could not take his brother by the law of the king (as a slave), except that Allah willed it. We raise to degrees whom We will, but over all those endowed with knowledge is the All-Knowing (Allah)(76)

After Yusuf's servants accused his brothers of theft, they said,

تَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُم مَّا جِئْنَا لِنُفْسِدَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا كُنَّا سَارِقِينَ

(By Allah! Indeed you know that we came not to make mischief in the land, and we are no thieves!) 'Ever since you knew us, you, due to our good conduct, became certain that,

مَّا جِئْنَا لِنُفْسِدَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا كُنَّا سَارِقِينَ

(we came not to make mischief in the land, and we are no thieves!) They said, 'Theft is not in our character, as you came to know.' Yusuf's men said,

فَمَا جَزَاؤُهُ

(What then shall be the penalty of him), in reference to the thief, if it came out that he is one of you,'

إِن كُنتُمْ كَاذِبِينَ

(if you are (proved to be) liars?) They asked them, 'What should be the thief's punishment if he is one of you?'

قَالُوا جَزَاؤُهُ مَن وُجِدَ فِي رَحْلِهِ فَهُوَ جَزَاؤُهُ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الظَّالِمِينَ

(They said: "His penalty should be that he, in whose bag it is found, should be held for the punishment. Thus we punish the wrongdoers!") This was the law of Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him, that the thief be given as a slave to the victim of theft. This is what Yusuf wanted, and this is why he started with their bags first before his brother's bag, to perfect the plot,

ثُمَّ اسْتَخْرَجَهَا مِن وِعَاءِ أَخِيهِ

(Then he brought it out of his brother's bag.) Therefore, Yusuf took Binyamin as a slave according to their judgement and the law which they believed in. So Allah said;

كَذَٰلِكَ كِدْنَا لِيُوسُفَ

(Thus did We plan for Yusuf.) and this is a good plot that Allah likes and prefers, because it seeks a certain benefit using wisdom and the benefit of all. Allah said next,

مَا كَانَ لِيَأْخُذَ أَخَاهُ فِي دِينِ الْمَلِكِ

(He could not take his brother by the law of the king,) as a captive, for this was not the law of king of Egypt, according to Ad-Dahhak and several other scholars. Allah only allowed Yusuf to take his brother as a captive after his brothers agreed to this judgement beforehand, and he knew that this was their law. This is why Allah praised him when He said,

نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَاتٍ مَّن نَّشَاءُ

(We raise to degrees whom We will,) just as He said in another Ayah,

يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ

(Allah will exalt in degree those of you who believe.)[58:11] Allah said next,

وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِي عِلْمٍ عَلِيمٌ

(but over all those endowed with knowledge is the All-Knowing.) Al-Hasan commented, "There is no …

They said: "By Allah! Indeed you know that we came not to make mischief in the land, and we are no thieves! (73)They said: "What then shall be the penalty of him, if you are (proved to be) liars. (74)They [Yusuf's brothers] said: "His penalty should be that he, in whose bag it is found, should be held for the punishment (of the crime). Thus we punish the wrongdoers! (75)So he Yusuf began (the search) in their bags before the bag of his brother. Then he brought it out of his brother's bag. Thus did We plan for Yusuf. He could not take his brother by the law of the king (as a slave), except that Allah willed it. We raise to degrees whom We will, but over all those endowed with knowledge is the All-Knowing (Allah)(76)

After Yusuf's servants accused his brothers of theft, they said,

تَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُم مَّا جِئْنَا لِنُفْسِدَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا كُنَّا سَارِقِينَ

(By Allah! Indeed you know that we came not to make mischief in the land, and we are no thieves!) 'Ever since you knew us, you, due to our good conduct, became certain that,

مَّا جِئْنَا لِنُفْسِدَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا كُنَّا سَارِقِينَ

(we came not to make mischief in the land, and we are no thieves!) They said, 'Theft is not in our character, as you came to know.' Yusuf's men said,

فَمَا جَزَاؤُهُ

(What then shall be the penalty of him), in reference to the thief, if it came out that he is one of you,'

إِن كُنتُمْ كَاذِبِينَ

(if you are (proved to be) liars?) They asked them, 'What should be the thief's punishment if he is one of you?'

قَالُوا جَزَاؤُهُ مَن وُجِدَ فِي رَحْلِهِ فَهُوَ جَزَاؤُهُ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الظَّالِمِينَ

(They said: "His penalty should be that he, in whose bag it is found, should be held for the punishment. Thus we punish the wrongdoers!") This was the law of Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him, that the thief be given as a slave to the victim of theft. This is what Yusuf wanted, and this is why he started with their bags first before his brother's bag, to perfect the plot,

ثُمَّ اسْتَخْرَجَهَا مِن وِعَاءِ أَخِيهِ

(Then he brought it out of his brother's bag.) Therefore, Yusuf took Binyamin as a slave according to their judgement and the law which they believed in. So Allah said;

كَذَٰلِكَ كِدْنَا لِيُوسُفَ

(Thus did We plan for Yusuf.) and this is a good plot that Allah likes and prefers, because it seeks a certain benefit using wisdom and the benefit of all. Allah said next,

مَا كَانَ لِيَأْخُذَ أَخَاهُ فِي دِينِ الْمَلِكِ

(He could not take his brother by the law of the king,) as a captive, for this was not the law of king of Egypt, according to Ad-Dahhak and several other scholars. Allah only allowed Yusuf to take his brother as a captive after his brothers agreed to this judgement beforehand, and he knew that this was their law. This is why Allah praised him when He said,

نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَاتٍ مَّن نَّشَاءُ

(We raise to degrees whom We will,) just as He said in another Ayah,

يَرْفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ

(Allah will exalt in degree those of you who believe.)[58:11] Allah said next,

وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِي عِلْمٍ عَلِيمٌ

(but over all those endowed with knowledge is the All-Knowing.) Al-Hasan commented, "There is no …

They [Yusuf's brothers] said: "If he steals, there was a brother of his [Yusuf] who did steal before (him). " But these things did Yusuf keep in himself, revealing not the secrets to them. He said (within himself): "You are in an evil situation, and Allah is the Best Knower of that which you describe! (77)

Yusuf's Brothers accuse Him of Theft!

After Yusuf's brothers saw that the king's bowl was taken out of Binyamin's bag, they said,

إِن يَسْرِقْ فَقَدْ سَرَقَ أَخٌ لَّهُ مِن قَبْلُ

(If he steals, there was a brother of his who did steal before.) They tried to show themselves as innocent from being like Binyamin, saying that he did just like a brother of his did beforehand, meaning Yusuf, peace be upon him! Allah said,

فَأَسَرَّهَا يُوسُفُ فِي نَفْسِهِ

(But these things did Yusuf keep in himself), meaning the statement that he said afterwards,

أَنتُمْ شَرٌّ مَّكَانًا ۖ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا تَصِفُونَ

(You are in an evil situation, and Allah is the Best Knower of that which you describe!) Yusuf said this to himself and did not utter it aloud, thus intending to hide what he wanted to say to himself even before he said it. Al-'Awfi reported that Ibn 'Abbas said about Allah's statement,

فَأَسَرَّهَا يُوسُفُ فِي نَفْسِهِ

(But these things did Yusuf keep in himself), "He kept in himself [his statement next],

أَنتُمْ شَرٌّ مَّكَانًا ۖ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا تَصِفُونَ

(You are in an evil situation, and Allah is the Best Knower of that which you describe!)."

They said: "O 'Aziz! Verily, he has an old father (who will grieve for him); so take one of us in his place. Indeed we think that you are one of the doers of good. (78)He said: "Allah forbid, that we should take anyone but him with whom we found our property. Indeed (if we did so), we should be wrongdoers. (79)

Yusuf's Brothers offer taking One of Them instead of Binyamin as a Slave, Yusuf rejects the Offer

When it was decided that Benyamin was to be taken and kept with Yusuf according to the law they adhered by, Yusuf's brothers started requesting clemency and raising compassion in his heart for them,

قَالُوا يَا أَيُّهَا الْعَزِيزُ إِنَّ لَهُ أَبًا شَيْخًا كَبِيرًا

(They said, "O 'Aziz! Verily, he has an old father...") who loves him very much and is comforted by his presence from the son that he lost,

فَخُذْ أَحَدَنَا مَكَانَهُ

(so take one of us in his place.), instead of Binyamin to remain with you,

إِنَّا نَرَاكَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

(Indeed we think that you are one of the doers of good.), the good doers, just, and accepting fairness,

قَالَ مَعَاذَ اللَّهِ أَن نَّأْخُذَ إِلَّا مَن وَجَدْنَا مَتَاعَنَا عِندَهُ

(He said: "Allah forbid, that we should take anyone but him with whom we found our property..."), 'according to the judgement that you gave for his punishment,

إِنَّا إِذًا لَّظَالِمُونَ

(Indeed, we should be wrongdoers.), if we take an innocent man instead of the guilty man.'

They said: "O 'Aziz! Verily, he has an old father (who will grieve for him); so take one of us in his place. Indeed we think that you are one of the doers of good. (78)He said: "Allah forbid, that we should take anyone but him with whom we found our property. Indeed (if we did so), we should be wrongdoers. (79)

Yusuf's Brothers offer taking One of Them instead of Binyamin as a Slave, Yusuf rejects the Offer

When it was decided that Benyamin was to be taken and kept with Yusuf according to the law they adhered by, Yusuf's brothers started requesting clemency and raising compassion in his heart for them,

قَالُوا يَا أَيُّهَا الْعَزِيزُ إِنَّ لَهُ أَبًا شَيْخًا كَبِيرًا

(They said, "O 'Aziz! Verily, he has an old father...") who loves him very much and is comforted by his presence from the son that he lost,

فَخُذْ أَحَدَنَا مَكَانَهُ

(so take one of us in his place.), instead of Binyamin to remain with you,

إِنَّا نَرَاكَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

(Indeed we think that you are one of the doers of good.), the good doers, just, and accepting fairness,

قَالَ مَعَاذَ اللَّهِ أَن نَّأْخُذَ إِلَّا مَن وَجَدْنَا مَتَاعَنَا عِندَهُ

(He said: "Allah forbid, that we should take anyone but him with whom we found our property..."), 'according to the judgement that you gave for his punishment,

إِنَّا إِذًا لَّظَالِمُونَ

(Indeed, we should be wrongdoers.), if we take an innocent man instead of the guilty man.'

So, when they despaired of him, they consulted in private. The eldest among them said: "Know you not that your father did take an oath from you in Allah's Name, and before this you did fail in your duty with Yusuf? Therefore I will not leave this land until my father permits me, or Allah decides my case and He is the Best of the judges (80)"Return to your father and say, 'O our father! Verily, your son has stolen, and we testify not except according to what we know, and we could not know the Unseen (81)"And ask (the people of) the town where we have been, and the caravan in which we returned; and indeed we are telling the truth. (82)

Yusuf's Brothers consult Each Other in Confidence; the Advice Their Eldest Brother gave Them

Allah narrates to us that Yusuf's brothers were desperate because they could not secure the release of their brother Binyamin, even though they had given a promise and sworn to their father to bring him back. They were unable to fulfill their promise to their father, so,

خَلَصُوا

(in private), away from people's eyes,

نَجِيًّا

(they consulted), among themselves,

قَالَ كَبِيرُهُمْ

(The eldest among them said), and his name, as we mentioned, was Rubil, or Yahudha. He was the one among them who recommended throwing Yusuf into a well, rather than killing him. So Rubil said to them,

أَلَمْ تَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ أَبَاكُمْ قَدْ أَخَذَ عَلَيْكُم مَّوْثِقًا مِّنَ اللَّهِ

(Know you not that your father did take an oath from you in Allah's Name,) that you will return Binyamin to him? However, you were not able to fulfill this promise and, before you caused Yusuf to be lost from his father,

فَلَنْ أَبْرَحَ الْأَرْضَ

(Therefore I will not leave this land), I will not leave Egypt,

حَتَّىٰ يَأْذَنَ لِي أَبِي

(until my father permits me,) allows me to go back to him while he is pleased with me,

أَوْ يَحْكُمَ اللَّهُ لِي

(or Allah decides my case) by using the sword, or, they says; by allowing me to secure the release of my brother,

وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الْحَاكِمِينَ

(and He is the Best of the judges.), He next ordered them to narrate to their father what happened so that they could present their excuse about that happened to Binyamin and as claim their innocence before him. Rubil said to them (to say to their father),

وَمَا كُنَّا لِلْغَيْبِ حَافِظِينَ

(and we could not know the Unseen!) or, 'we did not know that your son had committed theft,' according to Qatadah and 'Ikrimah. 'Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that it means, 'we did not know that Binyamin stole something that belonged to the king, we only stated the punishment of the thief,'

وَاسْأَلِ الْقَرْيَةَ الَّتِي كُنَّا فِيهَا

(And ask (the people of) the town where we have been,), in reference to Egypt, according to Qatadah, or another town.

وَالْعِيرَ الَّتِي أَقْبَلْنَا فِيهَا

(and the caravan in which we returned), 'about our truthfulness, honesty, protection and sincere guardianship,

وَإِنَّا لَصَادِقُونَ

(and indeed we are telling the truth.) in what we have told you, that Binyamin stole and was taken as a captive as compensation for his theft.'